Many companies and data centers are focused on limiting the intrusion of malicious outsiders. While it is true that actors unconnected to the data center do pose a threat – and should be stopped – they are not the biggest contributor to data breaches. In fact, a more prevalent source of data loss is the employees themselves, according to Forrester's Understand the State of Data Security and Privacy study.
The study, which polled participants from the U.S., U.K., Germany, France and Canada, revealed 36 percent of data breaches were the result of employee misuse or negligence, while 25 percent were intentional attacks from an insider.
Heidi Shey, Forrester analyst and author of the report, believes data centers need to be more aware of what is going on behind closed doors. Disloyal employees are difficult to detect – especially ones with high levels of security clearance – because their activities seem to be part of standard procedures.
"Security teams need to look at this and ask, is this normal? Is this a normal pattern? Is this what the typical employee does as part of their work, or is this behavior out of the ordinary?" Shey told CSO Online. "Spotting these kinds of patterns is one way to address that issue."
Another way to resolve the attacks is for data centers to step up their security measures with biometric access control. By integrating a fingerprint reader or other physical identification system, data centers can restrict the ability for employees to get wherever the want. These platforms have the benefit of being nearly impossible to copy, in addition to eliminating fears of letting a key or password slip into the wrong hands.
For extra security, some data centers might use a dual access control platform. This requires two separate biometric entries simultaneously – in other words, two individuals must be present to provide their unique physical IDs in order to gain access. Using biometric security, data centers can improve their security everywhere, from the front door to the server cabinet.
Las Vegas data center offers high-end facilities
Cobalt's 34,000-square foot data center in Las Vegas has separated itself from others by focusing on the human element of data, reported the Las Vegas Business Press. Simple amenities like a kitchen, outdoor patio, showers and TVs provide basic comforts to employees and clients alike and help to foster a positive environment.
"This is going to be something that differentiates us from how our business is characterized," Jefferson Brown, president of Cobalt Data Centers, told the Las Vegas Business Press. "In the past – and this is not just Cobalt but data centers in general — we've set aside the people element of operating a data center. We are trying to develop a people piece to our business. Culturally, we need to stop thinking of it as only powering and cooling computers."
But that does not mean the center is without state-of-the art security measures. Cobalt uses security guards and surveillance cameras in addition to biometrics, including fingerprint readers and retina scanners. These measures ensure that an employee cannot gain access to an exclusive or restricted server cabinet. Cobalt also keeps customer information tightly secure, so that any potential thieves won't be tempted by the data from a valuable client.
Through the creation of a positive workforce setting and by implementing a cutting edge biometrics security system, Cobalt has put itself in a position to avoid devastating data breaches from within.
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